


Unmasked

by kessilover



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-13
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-03-07 11:45:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3172960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kessilover/pseuds/kessilover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mergana AU. Where Merlin is royalty, Morgana is the servant.<br/>After a mysterious attack on his kingdom, Merlin is determined to prove that the servant he began to fancy is responsible for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelogue

_**Obligatory disclaimer**_ :Merlin and all associated creative properties belong to BBC. I don't claim any said property as my own, and I make no monetary profit from this fan-made story. All creative property not associated with said channel belong to me, and their use is limited to my express permission. Thank you.

 

* * *

 

"Were they sent by Uther ?" One of the council members inquired, worriedly. The question was addressed to no one in particular. Yet, all eyes were fixed on the king, waiting for his response.  
King Balinor sighed, straightened his back before he spoke. “We do not know. They bore no mark of Camelot and we cannot condemn them without proof. However, if they do not state the reason for their intrusion by sundown, they will be questioned until confession.”

* * *

  
His stomach growled as he made his way back to his chambers. Due the urgency of the assembly, Merlin was unable to consume his breakfast and the first thing he’d done subsequently to leaving the council room had been to order his servant to fetch him his food.  
Merlin walked inside and shrugged off his jacket. He went straight to the table. As he waited, his mind drifted to the problem he was in charge of. If what they feared was correct then the kingdom was the on the verge of….  
A knock cut of his line of thoughts. Something he was partly grateful for. He disliked debating such topics on an empty stomach.  
“At last.” He mumble, mostly to himself.  
There was another nock before he called out loudly for the person on the other side of the door to enter. “Come in.”  
Instead of his servant, a woman walked in and she was….breathtaking. His mouth hang open as he marveled her beauty. Her hair was as dark as night. Her emerald eyes were staring at him with an intensity that he was never on the receiving end of such look. If it weren’t for her ragged wear, he would have safely assumed her to be of royal blood, alas, she held a tray of food in her hands and she stood not far from where he sat.  
His eyes darted from the top of her head, taking in the shape of her nose, the fullness of her lips. He admired her curves and appreciated the elegancy with which she stood. But when his gaze once again found her face, she was looking down. It made him wonder if it was obvious from the way he stared at her how much he was taken aback by her. That thought made him snap his mouth shut. It was his turn to be embarrassed. Quickly he displayed more somber expression.  
He cleared his throat, trying to gain her attention. She looked up, the fire in her eyes faded, replaced by softness and he was determined not to dwell much on it.  
“Put it on the table.” He ushered her closer.  
The woman didn’t hesitate as she began to unload the content of the tray before him.  
“Where is my servant?” He was glad that his voice sound steady, but that didn’t stop him from gulping at her closeness.  
She continued in her task. “I do not know. I was asked to deliver this to your chambers that…” she was holding a goblet and when as she was placing it on the table her hand brushed his. He couldn’t describe the feeling that ignited the moment she touch him. But whatever it was it made him jump and he made her jump with surprise, releasing the cup.  
He ended up with part of his shirt and his trouser wet.  
“My lord, I’m sorry…” she covered her mouth with her hand.  
He quickly rushed to calm her. “Don’t worry. I’ll simply change.”  
It was in that exact moment that his chambers door was pushed open further and in walked his best mate, without knocking.  
Will stood silent for a brief second, he amusingly eyed him and the servant. “What happened here?”  
“I usually work in the kitchens, I don’t know how to do this.” If he wasn’t still in fascination mode, he would have found her excuse strange. But her voice was small and quivery as she spoke, he assured her, once again that she had nothing to worry about.  
Merlin looked at his friend. He ignored the look he gave him and went to his changing screen, leaving the woman to collect the mess.  
“So Camelot?” Will’s voice reached him.  
Merlin postponed taking off his shirt until he answered. “Not certain yet. Though, I hope they are not.”  
“Or else, it’ll be war.”  
Merlin nodded though he knew his friend wouldn’t be able to see it. “Uther, although he is a heartless man, knows better than to break our treaty. He cannot win a war against us. Camelot is not match to Albion. It’s the only reason none of his knight dare to approach our borders.”  
“Then who are they?”  
Merlin threw his dirty trousers on the ground and went for clean one. “Whoever they are they were reckless to attack one of our patrols. I’m in charge of their interrogation. It’ll be in the eve so whatever plans you have for tonight, they need to be delayed.”  
When he emerged, Will was the only one to greet him. “Where did she go?”  
The man shrugged his shoulders, “Probably to bring you another tray.”  
“Alright.”  
“So…” Will began and Merlin had a hunch where this conversation was leading to…  
“Will don’t.”  
“She’s rather beautiful.”  
Merlin sighed in defeat. Will was never good at doing what he was asked.  
“Don’t state the obvious. I do have eyes.” Merlin scolded, pulling a chair and sitting heavily on it.  
“She’s a bit clumsy though.” Will carried on, doing as Merlin and sitting across from him.  
Merlin chose not to comment on it.  
“But I’m certain her gaucheness could be easily overlooked. Such beauty can….”  
Frustrated, Merlin interrupted him. “Haven’t seen her before though.”  
“I’ve seen her few times. She works in the kitchens, like she claimed.”  
“Her name?” Merlin asked, hoping his friend could satisfy his curiosity on the subject.  
Unfortunately, he shook his head. “I can obtain it or you can simply ask her.” Will, smiled mischievously. “You are the prince, Merlin. Shyness doesn’t suits you.”  
Scoffing, the said prince, leaned forward. “I’m not shy. I’m just…”  
Still amused by his friend’s reaction, Will laughed openly. “Well, you are something.”  
“Shut up.” That was his last resort.  
Of course, that didn’t seem to work.

* * *

  
Will continued to tease him until the servant retuned with another tray. This time around, she was able to achieve her task without any missteps.  
She took couple of paces back. “Do you require anything further my Lord?” she asked, head bowed.  
Merlin glanced at his plate and then at the playful smirk, Will was displaying. “No, you’re may leave.”  
“Haven’t you forgotten something?” The other man asked, interrupting her courtesy.  
She looked at Merlin who looked at his friend. He glared at him and without glancing at her, he dismissed her.  
When she was gone, Will stood up. “You forgot to ask for her name.”

* * *

  
It was midday when his father ordered him to head for the dungeons and see if their prisoners were ready to speak.  
He stood before the cell bars, observing them. There were two of them. One with slightly long blond hair, the other with chestnut hair that reached his shoulders. Both of them ignored his presence. Still, Merlin was not fazed by that.  
“Who are you?” Merlin asked, hands linked behind his back.  
Silence was his reply. Pursing his lips together, the prince took a step closer toward the cell. “Your time is running out. Speak now and you will be spared….”  
“We don’t fear you.” The blond hair man spat, attempting to stand.  
His accomplice hissed something and reached for his friend’s arm. Somehow, the gesture was enough to calm the other man.  
He looked at them. Their attitude, the lack of fear and the way they carried themselves, they were not signs of regular peasants. Even if they were dressing like ones.  
“How many of you came here?”  
Neither answered.  
He needed another method to coax a response out of them. “If we capture the rest of your troop, trust me, they were not be brought here for trial.”  
Merlin paused, allowing them to assess the meaning of he’d just told them.  
“Why such cruelty?”  
“You attacked our knights, first. Why shouldn’t we do the same?” He reasoned.  
The two men shared a look before the man with the long hair spoke. “It’s just the two us. No one else.”  
They were getting on his nerves. Merlin huffed. “Do not lie! There were more than two…”  
He was cut off.  
“It doesn’t matter. They are safe now. They are where you cannot reach them.”  
There were only few places that the knights of Albion were not allowed to set foot in. The closest of them was Camelot.  
How he hated the path this conversation was taking.  
Sighing, Merlin ran a hand through his hair. In all his life, he’d never been this close to a knight of Camelot.  
What he knew of the kingdom was from what he’d been taught. The tales he’d heard and stories his father had informed him of.  
Knowing that he won’t be getting an answer, Merlin abandoned his chore. He decided to leave.  
If they refused to speak by dusk, well….they would surely speak after it.  
It was his damned luck, that on his way out of the dungeons, he crossed paths with the beautiful servant from earlier that morning. She was carrying a tray of food.  
His plan was to walk by without acknowledging her. But as they grew closer to one another, his mouth moved on its own as did his legs. Suddenly, he was blocking her and talking to her.  
“What are you doing in here?”  
She lifted the tray higher. “I was…I was asked to deliver this to the prisoners.”  
She was avoiding his gaze, even if he didn’t know any better he’d say that she was trying to hide something, as though she feared that he might see it in her face. In her eyes.  
Or perhaps, she was embarrassed by the fact that he was standing in her way, preventing her from doing her assigned chore.  
The latter reasoning was likelier. He moved away clearing the way. She nodded and bowed her head. She walked past him. He turned and watched as the distance slowly stretched between them.  
He wanted to stop her, but he had no name to call her by it and asking her for name was something he found impossible to accomplish.  
Something about her was simply mystifying.

* * *

  
“Morgana.” Will popped suddenly by his side, while Merlin was on his way to join his parents for supper.  
It made him halt.  
“What is that?” he asked, confused, nevertheless he resumed his walk.  
“That’s the maidservant’s name. It’s Morgana.” Will said, following him.  
“Morgana.” He whispered her name slowly as though testing it. “Anything else?” Merlin asked him.  
“She came to Albion over six months ago and she indeed works in the kitchens. They hated her at first…”  
“Hate her?” Merlin wandered, brow furrowed. “Why?”  
“Because she was rubbish in the kitchens and she couldn’t fit anywhere, she couldn’t do anything.” He answered, with a smile.  
That would explain why he’d met her down in the dungeons, yet Will carried on, unaware of his friend’s distraction. “But things have changed now, they say that she has a big heart and a very good person. She aids in the cooking as well.”  
They were near the dining room when Will stopped him with an inquiry, Merlin wasn’t sure he could answer. “What are you going to do about her?”  
Yes, what in deed. She was a servant, he was the prince. And whatever that had come over him the moment he’d laid eyes on her, certainly wasn’t something he was able to explain.  
The way his heart thudded in his chest was rather unusual for him. It had never happened to him before and he didn’t wish to seek anyone’s help regarding it this soon. He should wait, perhaps, by this time tomorrow, it’d be completely gone.  
He surely hoped so or else, had a feeling that he’d be doomed.  
Since he couldn’t say anything to Will, Merlin gestured to the chambers behind them. “The king and queen are waiting for me and since you’re not royalty, I fear you are no allowed in there with us. So, I shall see you later.”  
Merlin didn’t give his friend a chance to reply, he was walking through those doors in an instant.

* * *

  
In the middle of the dinner, his father ordered him to send for a Catha. The latter needed to interrogate their captives.

* * *

  
It was later on that the sound of the alarm bells rang, waking everyone to the news that the prisoners had escaped.  
No one knew when that had happened but the knights in charge of watching them had been knocked out. How? That was something, they didn’t know as well.  
While the knights were ordered to search the castle, the city and the near parts of the woods, Merlin was in his chambers.  
Before him stood the guards, he was supposed to interrogate them in order to figure out how something managed to happen.

* * *

  
The entire matter was confusing.  
Because, the last person that had come to the cells had been Morgana to give both the knights and the captives their dinner. That wouldn’t have been strange, if it weren’t for the fact that- after further investigation- it seemed that Morgana no longer served food to the guards. She was a cook and her services didn’t inquire fetching food to anyone. Furthermore, his servant had mysteriously befallen ill with a sudden illness that had been mysteriously cured not an hour later. The man had denied assigning Morgana with the job of bringing the prince’s breakfast.  
She must have needed to steal his keys. Her clumsiness had been all an act for her to gain access to his chambers without suspicion.  
All that combined together, led him to one conclusion. Morgana was responsible for the escape of those men which was unbelievable and what was equally unbelievable was the fact that two days after he had made this discovery, he was yet to tell anyone about it.  
He didn’t know why he had kept his mouth shut but what he did know was that Morgana was still in Albion, acting as though she didn’t commit a treason.  
Morgana was from Camelot? He had no proof of that. They had never interrogated the men and so he couldn’t possibly prove that Uther had sent her there.  
He told himself that the reason he was hiding the truth was because he wanted to know if Morgana had other plans for his kingdom, if her job exceeded the ones of cooking meals and pretending to be nothing but a kindred spirit.  
He made a decision to watch her, follow her every move and see what this woman was up to.  
Although a part of his heart urged him to allow the anger away, to remember the way her presence had made him feel, the other part, warned him that his duties as the heir of the throne came first and he’d only met the woman for a day. He couldn’t push his responsibilities aside for a new feeling that made him feel all warm and fuzzy.

* * *

  
Two months later, Merlin made no new discoveries. Nothing happened. Morgana was stuck in the kitchens. She barely left and if she did so, it was only to return to her house.  
He was starting to lose hope. His mind was on fire, constantly working, plotting and waiting for Morgana to make a mistake. Like set off to the woods during an ungodly hour or attempt to kill him or his parents but none of that happen.  
His heart on the other hand was growing fond of her with each passing day.  
The other servants adored her. She helped and aided them, always with a smile. He’d only spoken to Morgana twice and it was rather quick and curt. He tried his best to avoid her.  
As time when by, he was starting to reject his theory because if Morgana wanted the royal family dead, then she had no reason to wait months before doing something. If she had been truly working with those men, she wouldn’t have risked them getting caught by coming to Albion. She could have come and go without being suspected. And his keys had never gone missing.  
Perhaps the whole thing was a big coincidence. Perhaps, the fugitives’ friends had sneaked in and freed them. They had never been caught yet their existence had been known.  
Well, that made sense. It made a lot of sense to him and that…that was something Merlin was more than willing to believe.  
It was a load of nonsense really but he was willing to accept it as the truth. At least for tonight. Tonight he shall put both his head and his mind at rest. He wouldn’t be thinking of Morgana in anyway so his mind wouldn’t ache and his heart wouldn’t skip a beat.  
Because tonight, tonight was his birthday and he was determined to forget about that maidservant either by drinking himself to oblivion or by finding someone to capture the part of his heart and mind that Morgana had – without a permission – stolen them for herself.

* * *

  
The night was still young and so far, the raven haired-girl only popped to his head thrice. For him that was record.  
“I got you a present.” Will peeped from his side.  
Merlin’s only reaction was to laugh whether because his friend’s statement was funny or because he was drank.  
Both options were possible.  
“That’s a first.” Merlin snickered, gesturing for servant boy to refill his goblet. “I didn’t know you can afford one.”  
Will rolled his eyes and snatched the cup away. “Well, I didn’t have to spend any coins of this present. It’s rather free.”  
That produced another fit of laughter. “It must be rubbish then.”  
“Don’t judge before you see it.” Will drank the content of the goblet, he squinted at the bitter taste.  
Merlin sobered enough to see the serious look on his friend’s face. “Alright. Where is this gift you are so sure of?”  
“It’s in your chambers.”  
Merlin pursed his lips together trying not to laugh. “You’re embarrassed that it might be seen in your hand.”  
Will wasn’t amused, “I wouldn’t be able to hold it in my hand even if I tried, unless I have magic which I don’t. Now, are you going or not?”  
“I will, I will. Don’t be mad, I’m just teasing.” Merlin said, standing up.

* * *

  
He had his hand on the knob when he noticed that Will wasn’t right beside him. The man was standing in the middle of the corridor with a huge smile on his face.  
“You’re not coming?” Merlin asked.  
He waved his hand dismissively. “You can tell me what to you think of it later.”  
Merlin turned the knob, “I can tell you now.”  
Will, just turned around and left. Confused by his friend demeanor, Merlin lingered by the door watching him retreat until he could no longer seen him, he then walked inside.  
True to his friend’s words, there was in deed a gift in his chambers. The only slight problem was that it wasn’t as inanimate as he hoped it’d be.  
“What are you doing here?” he stuttered.  
Morgana stood with her hands crossed over her chest, eyes blazing his. “I think we both know why.” She spat.  
Yes, happy birthday to him in deed.


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin closed the doors. He took a deep breath, before he spun around to meet her.

Her posture remained unchanged. If looks could kill, he would have been dead the instant he made his presence in the chamber known. Nevertheless, he attempted to act normal. Well, as normal as he could manage under this circumstance.

He exhaled slowly. His eyes were on her as he stepped closer. She stood in the heart of the room.

"I will not lay with you." She said sharply.

It hit him in that moment that it was the first time he had seen her like this. Gone, all the traces of the fragile girl he'd grew accustomed to. It made him wonder if it had been all a façade.

He took a pace forward. Morgana, on the other hand, uncrossed her arms. She looked alarmed.

That wasn't what he wanted her to feel for him. He didn't want her to be afraid of him.

Eventually, he spoke. "No, you won't."

If she was surprised, Morgana didn't show it.

Suddenly, Merlin felt tired.

Trying not to think about her was proving to be exhausting every day and trying to dismiss her involvement in the prison matter was driving him insane. He needed to put an end to it, once and for all.

"Am I allowed to leave then?" she asked.

"No," he said, disappearing behind the screen. He started to change into his nightwear. The corners of his lips pulled upward, forming the smallest of smiles when the sound of Morgana fiddling with the doorknob caught his attention.

It seemed locking the door with magic had been a good idea, after all.

Merlin mustered a straight face before he emerged, finding her by the closed entrance, seething. Her chest rose and fell and Morgana pressed her back to the wall. "You said…"

He didn't allow her to carry on. "I'm well aware of what I said. But my friend expects you to spend the night in my chambers, and that is precisely what you will do."

She pushed herself off. "And there will be…"

"You admitted that you have no intention to sharing my bed, and I'm not in the habit of forcing myself on maidservants. So, you can be assured." He went to his bed and sat on the edge.

It seemed that his words eased her anxiousness, for she appeared less troubled. Still, she looked slightly confused.

"So," he began, meeting her gaze. "What would you have done if I had refused you?"

It was clear what he meant by that.

"Please, do sit." he offered to her, gesturing to the nearest chair to him. She hesitated before taking it.

As for her response, Morgana struggled before she shrugged, offering no words.

He smiled; she was yet to trust him. He didn't know how to redeem that. "You can tell me, you know. I'm merely curious, and the night is still young; I don't wish to retreat this early. Indulge me. It is, after all, my birthday."

She tilted her head to the side, studying him briefly. Then her eyes darted toward to the table, landing on the pitcher that laid on top of it. "The wine is laced."

"With poison?" he blurted out, not thinking his words through.

She rolled her eyes, "Sleeping potion." Her right hand went to the opening of her dress where her chest was partly evident. Two fingers pushed between her breasts. She produced a small empty vial.

"Clever."

She smirked proudly. "Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment," Merlin teased and the cheery smile dropped from the servant's face.

"It sounded awfully like one," she argued, shifting in her seat.

"It wasn't," Merlin insisted, and he stood up.

He could feel her eyes on him as he strolled to his door and ordered a knight to fetch another pitcher.

He left it ajar. Merlin whirled around to face her. "You should have started with that."

She frowned. "Hmm?"

"You should have offered me a drink when I first walked in."

Colour rushed to her face. Merlin found that looking flustered was rather adorable for her. "That was the plan… I was rather nervous when I saw you."

"Nervous?" he couldn't believe her. "You looked absolutely livid."

Morgana smiled, shyly. "It wasn't intentional. Being asked to warm the prince's bed wasn't something I expected when I came here. It simply angered me."

She was right. He couldn't possibly claim that he understood what she must have felt when his git of a friend had approached her with his stupid, inappropriate idea but at least he knew that she had every right to be mad about the proposition.

"And what did you expect when you came here?" His question came abruptly after a moment of silence. "To Albion, I mean."

The servant's face fell, but she managed to pull out a tight smile that looked more like a grimace.

Before he could repeat his question, a servant appeared with the potion-free pitcher. Merlin accepted it, and once again closed the door, locking it.

Morgana was on her feet in an instant. "Shall I pour you a drink, My Lord?"

"I might be a prince, but I know how to serve myself."

Gingerly, the maidservant lowered her arse down on the chair.

He stomped toward the table, retrieving two goblets from it. He filled one, handing it to her, and filled the other, but he didn't drink from it. He did all of that whilst keeping a short distance between them.

"Who taught you how to make sleeping potions? I would have assumed only physicians have the knowledge of such remedies?"

She gulped, her eyes on his as she brought the cup closer to her lips. The liquid barely touched her mouth before she lowered her hands to her lap. "A physician helped me learn it." Once she replied, she bowed her head, avoiding his gaze. "As a child I was plagued with horrible dreams, and the nightmares kept affecting my sleep until this very day. He used to give me sleeping draughts every night, hoping that, for once I might have a dreamless slumber."

The reason behind her confess was unknown, yet he was grateful she did.

"An awful upbringing?" He set his cup aside, seeking another chair and disposing it next to her.

"No one has a perfect childhood." She was still looking at her hands and it was frustrating for him because if he couldn't see her face, he couldn't possibly tell if she was feeding him lies, for her voice was completely calm.

"Morgana…" he said her name, softly.

Merlin wasn't certain if he'd done that purposely. Still, moments after he breathed out her name, he wondered if he had done a mistake.

Then he heard her inhale deeply. She sighed with a shudder. Slowly, Morgana lifter her head up. Immediately, he noted the teary eyes.

"I'm a seer," she said in a whisper.

Their gaze met. She didn't look like she was fibbing. The truth was evident in her expression. And the fact that she only offered those four words to explain only bettered her situation in his eyes.

"Then those potions are useless," he commented, leaning forward.

She let out a bitter laugh. "How I know that. But I had hoped that they might be efficient eventually." She raised her hands to wipe the invisible tears. "Rather foolish of me, yes?"

He could only agree with her. "Yeah. But I suppose it's safe to assume that you didn't know better."

"Is it obvious?" She inquired with confusion.

"Your ignorance to the matter of magic? Yes," he replied, taking her cup away. "But you sought the assistance of a physician while you required the awareness of an enchanter, because if you did, you would have learned that there were only few items that could block this kind of magic. "

"And that was why I came here. To diminish my ignorance. Yet, since my arrival, my knowledge is still limited." She snatched her cup from between his hands. She threw her head back, swallowing its content. Morgana screwed her eyes shut at the taste. "I'm starting to realize how mistaken I was by leaving or coming to this kingdom."

"Then why did you?"

"Because my nightmares only affect me. However, when I set fire into my chambers, I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I was discovered." She circled the edge of the cup with her index finger in slow motion.

So, she had magic. In a way, that didn't make any sense. He supposed that those men were from Camelot, for her to help them- someone who was considered their enemy- he didn't understand why.

Merlin exhaled, feeling intrigued yet puzzled. "You deem losing your head better than your presence in Albion. Now you are truly being foolish."

"I need another one," she muttered, in reference to her drink, standing up.

Merlin requested that she bring him his as well.

Morgana did as he asked, retaking her place.

"I still don't understand what is happening to me," she sipped her wine. "Why me?"

"Magic isn't something you choose, Morgana." He paused, taking notice of her bewildered expression. "It chooses you."

She released a humorless laugh, "Well, it made a horrible mistake picking me."

He could not fathom how she could say something like that.

"Do you really think that magic is bad?" Merlin asked and swallowed a gulp from his drink.

"Not bad," she replied slowly, "But I was raised to believe that magic was evil, and…"

He fought the urge to roll his eyes at her. That was even worse. "Am I evil?" Merlin interjected abruptly, surprising her. "You've been in this kingdom for over eight months now; have you witnessed anything promptly wicked about it? Do you think you are evil, Morgana?"

She did not answer; she merely stared speechlessly at him. The moment of silence was broken when Morgana sighed. "N…no, I don't. But my entire life, all that I know about magic…"

It was a spur of the moment decision. But with his free hand, Merlin reached for her. His fingers wrapped around her wrist. As expected, Morgana flinched, yet, for an unknown reason, she didn't pull back. The prince took that as a sign to carry on with his thought. "Forget about that part of your life; you've came here to start anew. If you don't cut all ties with the old one, you will never evolve past it. You'll always cling to it."

The woman sitting across from him clenched her jaw, gritted her teeth together. Perhaps it was instinct, but the warlock tentatively drew back. She looked to the goblet in her hand and then up to him. He wondered if she was contemplating splashing her drink to his face.

How could the nice moment be broken so brutally?

Had he said something offending or upsetting to her?

Merlin had no clue if he had done so.

"Well, that's easy for you to say," she started icily. "You were raised to embrace magic, to accept that it's an essential part of who you are. I, on the other hand, was not. You cannot expect me to erase my past simply to forge my future. To better it. Not because I do not want to, it is merely because it is hard to accomplish that." She paused to catch her breath. "Before I came here, I woke up every morning to the worried face of my maid, and every morning, I had to lie to her whenever she expressed her concerns for my welfare. There were nights where I was terrified to fall asleep. However, here, I have to suffer on my own, with no one to confess my troubles to, and no one to feed me false assurance that matters will improve, eventually."

"So you're a Lady?"

Morgana seemed confused by the deflection, and even more by the question, for she peered down at her dress; her eyes lingered on her bosom. "Is… is it not obvious?"

Merlin chuckled, understanding the mistake he'd committed in phrasing his question. "I'm not referring to your gender. That part, is as you pointed out, obvious and very clear." An uncontrollable heat rushed to his face when he saw her crook an eyebrow at him. "I was just wondering about your title, in a royal court. You have just mentioned having a maid."

"Oh," her frown deepened. "Why would you wish to know about that?"

"I'm curious."

He genuinely was.

"Yes," Morgana replied slowly. "I was a lady of the court. Well acquainted with the royal family." She seemed hesitant to add something, but she refrained from doing so, and he did not press her further.

"Which kingdom did you arrive from?"

"Camelot."

Aha! Finally, he could broach the matter that had been on his mind for the past two bloody months.

The only issue was how to bring that up. Should he be blunt about it, or should he do it gradually?

Merlin set his cup down on the floor, next to the chair.

He rubbed his forehead. She had been honest with him so far, it was only fair that he would be the same with her as well.

"Did you help free those men we captured awhile back?" Directly to the point.

Her eyes widened, lips parted in a silent shock. Still, her recovery was quick. A mask of ignorance and casualness fell in place in an instant.

Merlin expected her to deny the accusation, claim to have absolutely no contribution in the allegation. However, the warlock was somehow taken aback by what she had said next. "How long have you known?"

"How long have you suspected my knowledge?"

She shrugged indifferently, displaying an impressive amount of self-control and confidence. "I've learnt that you've asked about me. In the beginning, I thought I was discovered, yet time went by and nothing happened."

"So you assumed you were safe," he finished for her.

She nodded.

He bit his bottom lip, studying her. "Why didn't you run?"

"And go where, exactly?" Morgana titled her head. "If I were to be apprehended and charged with treason…"

"You've have lost your head."

The image those words painted was not a pretty one, and the idea of her dead because of him certainly did not settle well with him. His stomach turned into knots, and Merlin cleared his throat, shoving the gruesome scene to the back of his head.

He was starting to become thankful for not disclosing his discovering.

"And it'd have been the same fate that awaited me if I set a foot outside of this kingdom," she spoke again, drawing his attention back to her.

"So, those men came here to drag you back, and you helped them escape?" That did not sound like the most clever thing to do.

"Actually, they came here to make sure I was all right, and try to convince me to return," she told him with a shrug.

In spite of himself, Merlin laughed. Only when he noted her somber expression did his laugh died down. "Are you serious?"

What exactly was her rank in Camelot?

He couldn't help but wonder if she was a member of the royal family. He had a little information concerning Uther's family, yet he was afraid to even ask.

"Am I to be arrested?"

He dismissed her inquiry, choosing to openly ignore it. He stood up and went to crack his window open. He needed some fresh air. Perhaps, it could ease his troubled mind. He inhaled and exhaled a couple of times, before he turned to find that she had stood up. He decided to assure her. "If I had any intention of doing that, I would have done it a long time ago."

"Why didn't you?"

Because I fancy you.

The words were on the tip of his tongue. Nevertheless, it wasn't the answer he could offer her. He was certain it wasn't the answer she expected to hear.

His gaze darted to her face. Clearly, Morgana appeared to be waiting for him to reply, with narrowed eyes and a challenging expression.

If he didn't know any better, he'd suspect that she might have heard his reply. What with the way she carried herself as though taking pride in the fact that she had easily managed to capture the prince's heart, and in doing so she had saved her beautiful neck.

"I don't believe you. Why should I? You could be lying to me, trying to wiggle yourself out of this mess you have created."

Her face fell, she looked pained by what he'd said. "If that was what I had wanted, then…." She pointed to his bed, "…your sheets would have been stained with our sweats, our bodies tangled together and I wouldn't have wasted by breath trying to confess my troubles. But you can never understand because you are a damn prince, and you lot tend to be arrogant prats."

Her outburst left her breathless and him upset.

"I'll take the bed, you choose wherever you wish to sleep, but you will not leave this room until it's morning."

The hurtful comment stung greatly. He didn't allow it to show, but he hoped she realized what she had done.

Merlin crawled under his cover, uttering a spell and the entire room drowned in darkness.

When the first rays of sunlight filtered through, his window showering him with a tingling feeling of warmth, Merlin woke up to a presence hovering over him.

"May I be excused from your grace's excellent company? The day has started hours ago." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm and mockery.

He found himself at a loss for words. "Y… yes."

"Good," she exclaimed heading to the door.

He quickly regained his wits, unlocking the door.

She exited, slamming it shut with a loud thud.

A conversation with Will was an inevitable. He tried to avoid it as long as he could. His dodging lasted until shortly after his breakfast when his friend came barging inside demanding to know about the events that happened the previous night.

Of course, Merlin had no choice but to lie.

"And that is all that I will say about the entire thing."

Will growled, rolling his eyes. "You told me so little."

"I told you all about it," Merlin said, reaching for his jacket and shrugging it on.

He wasn't surprised when Will followed him as Merlin rushed out of his room wanting nothing more than to forget about Morgana.

Of course, he wasn't able to do so.

He might have tried to keep her out of his mind, but his heart and eyes kept on searching for her wherever he went. And after failing to get a glimpse of her a week later, Merlin almost believed that she might have felt threatened after his birthday, and as result, she might have fled the kingdom.

It took days for him to muster enough courage to head to the kitchens.

A mix of various odors hit his nostrils upon entering. The smell of freshly-made bread welcomed him. It was warm inside, and he felt the heat brush his face. The whole place was buzzing with activities and murmurs, which all died down almost instantly when one cook noticed him. It took a bow and a 'My lord', and everything was drowned in silence. Suddenly, every single soul present in there was bowing down.

Merlin kept his head held high as he walked between them, regarding every face, searching for those emerald eyes and pale skin… until he found them.

A sense of relief washed over him, and a breath he didn't realize he had been holding was exhaled. At least she was still there.

Merlin neared her with straight shoulders and an expressionless face. "What are you preparing?"

"Dumplings, Sire," She replied, her gaze toward the ground. The perfect stance of a servant.

His face light up. "Oh, my favorites!" he exclaimed, a sheepish smile playing on his lips. Hers, on the other hand, were pressed together. She had finally glanced up.

"Are they, now?" she asked, looking cynical.

"Yes," he replied, not wasting any time replying. "Have someone deliver me a bowl once they are ready," he instructed with a sturdy voice.

Merlin backed away.

Please do keep them away from sleeping potions. Dumplings truly are my favorite, he said in his head. The look of utter astonishment that her face had morphed into was a pure sign that she had, indeed, heard him.

At least he was sure that she really did have magic.

"I'll try my best, Sire," she stuttered, still in shock.

He was in his room waiting for his dumplings to arrive. He reprimanded himself for not asking her to fetch them herself. However, he deduced that in doing so not only would have rose suspicion among the servants, but he also assumed that Morgana wouldn't have wanted to return to his chambers again.

The abrupt tugging of the door snapped him out of his daze.

Merlin darted his gaze toward the entrance, noting the smiling blond woman that stood by it. "Hello, little brother."

Growling, the prince stood up. "I'm not your brother."

His utterance coupled with his child-like tone enticed a laugh from the woman.

"I gather you're still mad."

Merlin rolled his eyes at her. "I'm not mad, Morgause, but rather disappointed."

The woman was few years older than him, and considering who he was and who had raised her, they had been together since infancy. They were as close as a brother and a sister.

Morgause eyed him with a playful expression, "Are you certain? You look more angry than disappointed."

"Well, can you blame me?" he challenged, getting up, "I asked you to provide me with the smallest of favors, yet you refuse to grant it to me."

"Because it is far from small," Morgause argued, still smiling. "It's rather a valuable item, Merlin. You can forgive me if I seem a bit baffled as to why you might need it."

He didn't want to disclose the true reason. Perhaps, he wasn't ready yet to admit it out loud. "You needn't know. You could have given it to me as a present for my birthday."

She rolled her eyes. "I already gave you one."

A knock on the door interrupted them, Morgause whirled around, saying, "Come in."

His long-awaited lanky servant walked inside, holding between his hands the food he'd been desiring.

Morgause snatched the bowl, sending the servant on his way. "Will you ever overgrow your love for dumplings?"

The time his heart would stop skipping a beat every time Morgana popped into his head would most likely be the day he stopped enjoying his favorite food.

By the looks of it, it might never be.

So he shook his head, walking over to her, wanting to have one. "They help lighten up my mood when I'm upset."

She pulled the bowl away from his reach. "What would you do if I said that I have in my possession something that might cheer you up more than this?"

"I'd ask if it would taste good." The corners of his lips pulled upward, guessing where Morgause would go with her statement.

He inhaled deeply, deciding to go through with his plan before he changed his mind.

Merlin held his knuckles up, gently tapping the door with them.

It was fairly late, and he wasn't sure how he'd be welcomed, but he didn't wish to do it in broad daylight.

He heard shuffling coming from the other side. He didn't have to wait for long before Morgana appeared in front of him, looking sleepy and confused. However, her expression sobered when she fully registered his presence. "What are you doing here?" She clenched a material, which she had thrown over her shoulders, tightened around her.

It seemed as though whenever they were alone, she completely forgot that he was a prince and she was a servant. Then again, she had once been a nobility.

"May I come in?"

"Why?" she asked sharply.

Merlin sighed. "I promise I won't linger."

Morgana eyed him, weighing her options. In the end, she stepped aside, opening the door wider, inviting him in.

Merlin chose to stay by the entrance, not wanting to disturb her any further.

"Have you come to compliment on the dumplings? Because if you have, I'm afraid I don't require your judgment on my cooking skills."

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm here about what happened on that night." He reached his hand into his pocket producing an object.

Upon seeing it, Morgana stilled, then rolled her eyes. "A simple sorry would have sufficed. You didn't have to bring me a bracelet."

She was really quite talkative.

"It's not an ordinary bracelet. It's a healing bracelet. It will help you sleep. It'll take away the nightmares."

For the second time in a row, Merlin managed to surprise her. "Why are you giving this to me?"

It was his turn to be surprised by what she had just said. "So you can have a peaceful sleep."

She shook her head, "No, I mean why you would do that?" Morgana clarified, her voice quivering.

"Because I wanted to."

She looked as though she was going to ask him why once more. Her mouth opened, closed then opened again. "You're not doing this so you can lure me to your bed, are you?"

He should've been offended by her question, but instead, Merlin just laughed. "Absolutely not my intention. I just don't want you to think that I'm nothing but an arrogant prat."

Gingerly, Morgana reached for the item, and he didn't fight as he released it to her. Although, his heart ached for her fingers to brush his.

It didn't happen. He was forced to ignore the pang he felt at the lack of a contact.

She put the bracelet around her wrist, playing with it for a moment before glancing up at him.

She had tears in her eyes. "You think it will work?"

Merlin smiled softly. "Definitely."

She breathed out. "I won't apologize for insulting you, I stand by what I said. But…" With a small smile, she continued. "… thank you for this."

"Okay." He said, his heart pounding hard inside his chest cavity.

Softly, almost shyly, Morgana nodded her head. "Okay."

Merlin cleared his throat, eyes darting towards the door. "I must be going now."

She merely hummed, following him as he began to back away.

They stood before the door, each one on either side.

Instead of bidding her goodnight, he found himself saying. "Would you like me to teach you how to use magic?" Catching his slip, Merlin rushed to add. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean… well I did, but I sure I'm the last person you want…"

She cut him off.

"Yes."

Did he hear her correctly? "What?"

"I said yes. I might not like you. But I will not pass a valuable opportunity to learn magic from the sole person who was born with it."

So, she didn't like him. In a way that was better than hating him, Besides, it had been Will's fault. There had to be way to steer her dislike toward the man responsible for that feeling.

It was only when he was back to the privacy of his chambers, did Merlin realize how foolish his plan was.

He was supposed to find a method to help him forget about Morgana.

How would he be able to hide his affection when he was around her?


	3. The farewell

A Few Weeks Later

The sound of the door snapping shut caused his shoulders to jerk. With his eyes on the closed entrance, the prince slumped down on his bed heavily, a sigh passing through his lips.

It felt like he'd ruined everything.

Scratch that, he had, in fact, ruined everything.

Kissing her had been a bad decision; though, in his defense, it had not been a decision, not really. It had just simply happened. It was a surprise to the both of them. He could blame it entirely on the look of absolute ecstasy on Morgana's face after managing to cast a rather difficult spell.

But that wouldn't be the truth.

For months, he'd tried to suppress his affections. Of course, her constant presence in his chambers had succeeded in ruining his plan.

He should have stopped himself as he'd leaned closer. He could see the alarm in her eyes, but then his lips had touched hers, and he'd forgotten everything around him until the contact between their mouths was no longer established, and she had delivered a rather painful slap to his face. The tingling feeling in his cheek had remained even after she had left his chambers, seething with anger.

As to how he could mend what had been broken, Merlin hadn't a single clue.

"We must leave soon." The king and the prince were on their way back from the throne room.

"This information, can it be trusted?" Merlin asked, and the king stopped, silently instructing his son to do the same.

"No," Balinor sighed, placing his hand on the prince's shoulder. "But we cannot take a risk if they are correct." He patted him on the back, and their walk was resumed shortly after. The king added, "This is important, son. If—"

The rest of what his father was saying fell on deaf ears. A certain raven-haired maidservant was going down the same corridor, coming from the other way.

He swallowed anxiously, what had come to pass the previous night playing before his eyes. Tempted to ask for forgiveness once more and with the presence of his father momentarily forgotten, his legs sped up, but then she clenched her jaw and she sent a narrowed glare his way before bowing her head. "My lord," was muttered, and that was it. She walked past them.

Merlin concluded that she must've still been mad.

"Merlin!" His name was called out, pulling him out of his brief distraction. The prince looked towards the king, noticing the confused, almost worried, look that was gracing his face.

"I'm sorry, my lord," he rushed to say.

"Merlin…" Balinor began sternly. "This is not to be taken lightly; a lot is at risk here, and we must focus."

Oh, how he knew that!

"I'm sorry," he apologized again.

"We leave in the morning. Be prepared." With that, Balinor left Merlin behind, and all the young man could do was look over his shoulder, though Morgana was nowhere in sight.

Since what was done was done, and having nothing left for him to change it, Merlin allowed the woman some time to calm down. He was certain that a small period of separation would bring matters back to its original way. Or at least he hopped so.

A few days after their mishap, the first thing Merlin had done subsequent to his return from the latest adventure with his father was to summon Morgana to his chambers. He hadn't even been close to the castle's entrance before he had ordered a knight to fetch the servant.

Now inside his quarters, Merlin was taking off his jacket when he heard a knock on his door. He frowned; the guard couldn't have possibly found Morgana so quickly.

"Come in." he called out and waited.

His assumption was correct for the woman who came through his door wasn't Morgana, but his mother.

Since he hadn't seen her in two days, Merlin found himself smiling and approaching her. "Mother," he greeted. "I was coming to see you after having a bath."

"Well," the royal lady shut the door, walking over to the table. She pulled out a chair, sat on it, and asked her son to do the same.

Though confused, Merlin obliged. "Is everything alright?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

Merlin straightened in his seat, his confusion increasing. "Has something happened in my absence?"

"I think I can handle the matters of this kingdom on my own for two short days," she remarked slyly, causing her son to smile. "But this is not why I am here. I've spent the last few days wondering whether or not to address the rumors circulating about the crowned prince."

"Rumors? About me?" Well, that was interesting, and almost comical. Merlin laughed, but from the look his mother was giving him, he assumed that he shouldn't have done that. "What are these rumors saying?"

"That a maidservant has been coming to your chambers almost every night for the past two months to warm your bed." She eyed him; Merlin supposed that she was trying to gauge his reaction and he didn't fail her. His jaw dropped at what he heard, a lump formed in this throat, and he tried to swallow it down but was unsuccessful.

"It's not true-" he protested, but he was cut off.

"So you deny these tales?"

If he said no, then he would be lying, considering a part of these rumors were actually correct. "Well," he started, but hesitated, and it seemed that in doing so, he confirmed his mother's suspicions, for her eyes fluttered shut, and she inhaled a deep breath as though she had just been delivered the worst news.

"Mother," he rushed, wanting to explain. "She is not my mistress. She's—"

He was cut off again, though this time it was not by his mother.

Merlin huffed as he switched his attention from the subject at hand to the person standing at the door. He had completely forgotten about asking a guard to bring the servant in question back to his chambers until he saw the man walk inside, irresolutely.

The knight bowed for the queen before turning to the prince.

"Ugh," Merlin growled, and wondered if he could dismiss him without arousing any further suspicion.

But he took one look at his mother, and he knew that she was waiting for him to carry on with the man.

"Yes?" The warlock beckoned the guard to approach; the latter did so and started to inform his prince that the servant had refused to accompany him back there.

Merlin could almost visualize the expression of disappointment he was sure his mother was sending him. He hated it and he knew he could dissolve it with the truth.

That was what he did next. He told her the truth. Not the whole truth, though. He conveniently forgot to mention the part where Morgana had helped two of Camelot's knights to escape imprisonment, because there was no real need for her know about that.

However, it seemed that being honest had really helped his situation, for his mother's features softened considerably. "Why the secrecy? Why you?"

The first question was easily answered, the second one, not so much.

"Uhm…it's because…" he stuttered, and then he considered the fact that he'd been honest so far, so why not continue to be? Merlin cleared his throat and breathed out a laugh. He glanced at his mother, their eyes meeting. "I'm smitten with her."

An eyebrow shut up, and Hunith titled her head. "Smitten. With a servant," she said slowly.

"I'm well aware how ill-advised this is… but she was once a lady of a court."

"In Camelot," she reminded him instantly. "Here, she is nothing but a servant, and she needs to be treated like one."

"But…"

"There is no room for discussion. It must end before your father learns about it. Do you understand?"

He could only nod. "All right. I shall tell her that I can no longer help her with magic."

Satisfied with that, the queen stood up. "I truly hope that you will carry on with your words, son."

"I will."

He didn't tell her that he had kissed Morgana, and that she had rejected him, because for all he had known, it could've already been over - the relationship he'd had with Morgana. If her refusal to come was any indication, then his thought was in the right place.

Merlin waited, and waited, and waited some more, until he finally got a glimpse of her. He was glad that she was on her own, making what he was about to do quite easier to achieve.

Merlin made sure that the corridor was empty, apart from her, and when she was close enough, he emerged from the shadows the alcove provided, and pulled her in.

The first thing he did once she was inside was press his hand over her mouth to prevent her from crying out in surprise.

He was successful.

Her eyes were wide as she registered his face, and she immediately shoved him away with a glare. "What do you think you're doing?"

There was a dull pain in his chest due to the harsh tone.

"I simply wished to talk… I want to apologize for… what happened."

Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "And you thought that yanking me in here was a great way to do that?"

Well, he would have considered something else if she hadn't been avoiding him. She had left him with no other choice, really. "You refused to come when I sent for you," he reminded her.

"I've had other matters to attend to, because, unlike you, I have to make a living."

It seemed that the few days he'd allowed her hadn't had the desirable effect he was hoping for. She was still furious.

He sighed, and she pressed her lips together, attempting to leave when he fell silent. But, he managed to stop her in time. He stood before her, fairly close. "I'm sorry."

She looked away from his face, her hands coming to his chest, pushing him further away. "I don't require your apology." She hesitated, and after a small pause, she huffed in exasperation. "Damn it, Merlin, I'm not blind nor a fool. I can see the way you look at me."

He gasped, not expecting this. "What?" Merlin exclaimed, releasing her hand.

How transparent could he be to her?

"What do you mean?" he asked, choosing to continue to ignore the way his heart clenched.

She chewed on her bottom lip, "It's rather obvious that you care for me. Romantically."

"No, I don't." He was quick to deny, despite his astonishment.

"Yes, you do," Morgana pressed.

"No, I…" he trailed off; from the look on her face, he knew that he couldn't convince her. Instead, he asked, "How long have you been aware of this?"

"It started off as a suspicion the night of your birthday, but it became a certainty when you arrived to my house with the gift. With your proposition."

In other words, from the very beginning.

He breathed in, and stepped back. Her expression was soft, almost sympathetic.

Merlin didn't need that from her. He felt like… "You used me."

"Not really…" she murmured, but then she trailed off, tilting her head, "Yes, I suppose did…" Morgana admitted. "But I was honest with you. That night, I told you that."

And she was right.

Sighing, Merlin looked up at the ceiling. "So…"

"So?" she echoed with a frown. "If you wondering if I have forgiven you then yes, I have."

No, that wasn't it.

"Should we resume our lessons?"

"I don't think we should," Morgana replied slowly. "It would not be fair to you."

If he were to guess as to why she would think that, he'd say it was because of the kiss.

"I promise I will not attempt to kiss you again." Merlin tried to persuade her, but she was stubborn.

She reached for his hands. "Merlin, listen to me. That is not a promise you can keep. I owe you my life, and I would wish to spare you the heartache you'd surely suffer because of me."

He peered down at their joined hands, and a sense of relief washed over him, provoking him to say more. "Then why don't we…"

Morgana dropped his hands, realizing the idea he was about to express. "What are you insinuating?"

"Perhaps-"

"No," she stopped him. "It could never be."

Baffled, he didn't waste time to demand a reason. "Why?"

"Because I'm a servant," she replied in a tone that said it should have been obvious for him. "I don't care if I'm being called a mistress, but I shall never, ever be one."

That was the second time that he had heard Morgana being seen as mistress, and since his mother had mentioned rumors, then there was a large possibility that Morgana had been subjected to them as well.

It could easily explain her reluctance.

"We can be discreet, we c—"

"Don't pursue this," she pleaded, her voice broken.

"Why not?"

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Stop demanding for reasons I cannot provide."

"I only wish to know why you're refusing my affections when…"

"Because I don't reciprocate them," she said simply, her voice raising above his, cutting him off.

His blood ran cold inside his veins, and as he felt the air growing thinner, he began to struggle for breath. "Oh!"

"Merlin," she whispered gently, noticing the shattered look on his face. His heart had long since fallen to pieces.

"Oh!" he breathed out again, his mind slowly grasping her words, the corners of his eyes burning.

"I really wanted to spare you the heartache."

If she had honestly wanted that, then she should have told him that his love was one-sided earlier.

But he couldn't place the blame on her; it had been his own fault, seeking the affections of someone that had been clear wouldn't be feeling the same. Yet, he'd hoped that as they spent more time together, she could grow to like him the way he did her. Yes, things had changed; she had become less hostile towards him, and more open to express her worries, and her hopes when it came to her magic. However, he had obviously been quite mistaken. Her heart didn't want him the way that his wanted her.

No reason to burden her with his burden.

"You should return to your chores."

"Merlin, I'm sorry…"

"Don't do that," he said with a shake of his head. "I have to go."

"All right." She hadn't tried to stop him.

He emerged from the alcove first, taking a shaky breath as he did so. Merlin practically jogged toward his quarters, and, to his surprise, he found Will in there.

Merlin didn't have time to catch up or to talk to him; he grabbed the bag he'd taken to his trip two days ago; and left the room without acknowledging his friend.

The latter followed him, of course, wanting to know the cause behind Merlin's odd behavior. Still, the prince offered him nothing except for: "I must leave."

"Leave where? You've only just returned."

Merlin responded with only one word, "Avalon."

Five Months later.

Merlin was in the tavern, enjoying a goblet of mead on his own, when he was approached by a man. He was dressed like a peasant and had a blond hair, his expression hard and unreadable.

"Are you the prince?" the man asked.

Merlin placed his cup down, assessed him, and then he nodded his head. "Do you need something?"

The strange man didn't look dangerous, but Merlin needed to be cautious nevertheless.

"May we speak in private?"

Merlin arched an eyebrow, "Which matter do you wish to discuss with me that requires privacy?" he sipped his wine.

The blond man leaned closer. "I'm Arthur Pendragon."

Merlin froze. The man standing before him could be lying, yet no one in their right minds would say that name inside of this kingdom.

His drink abandoned, the prince got to his feet. "Follow me."

He led him towards an empty chamber, and Merlin locked the door once they were both inside. "How can I trust that you are who you say you are?"

Arthur sighed and extracted a ring. It held Camelot's crest.

Merlin inspected carefully. When he was certain of it, he returned it back to its owner. "Your presence here is a breach of the treaty between our kingdoms. I hope you are aware of this."

Arthur nodded, hiding his ring. "I am well aware of it, which was why I asked you for discretion."

"Drink?" Merlin asked, walking toward his table.

Arthur agreed with a nod of his head. The warlock took a cup and began to fill it. "What business carried you here?"

"Someone from my kingdom came here a while back, and I'm here to convince them to return."

Something screamed at him that he should have understood what the man was trying to say, but he pushed the thought away.

He whirled around and handed Arthur a cap. "And who this person might be?"

"Morgana Le Fay."

Morgana…

She couldn't be the same Morgana he knew, could she?

The grip on his goblet tightened as he attempted to keep a straight expression. "And you're certain that she's here?"

"She has magic, and I wouldn't have risked the future of our kingdoms if I wasn't sure," he remarked dryly, placing his goblet on the table.

Several months ago, on his birthday, Morgana had assured him that no one else would be coming back for her. It seemed that she had been mistaken.

And now, he was placed before a delicate situation that he needed to address.

"I cannot do anything without consulting my father first…"

"Why now?" Balinor asked.

They were in the throne room. The only people present were the king, the prince and Arthur.

Shortly after Merlin had informed his father about the predicament, he had requested that the conversation take place with only the three of them.

"What do you mean?"

Balinor looked at Arthur, hands crossed over his chest. "From what you have told us, this woman has been in my kingdom for over a year and a half, and yet you've waited this long to demand her back. Why. Now?"

"Morgana left without telling anyone. It took us a while to track her to here, and then I had to convince my father…" He paused to inhale deeply, and Merlin took that as a chance to interject.

"And what fate awaits her back in Camelot?"

Arthur's expression remained neutral as he responded, "Morgana is a part of my family, and no harm will befall her."

"Even though she has magic? You expect us to believe that Uther will spare her life?" Merlin challenged, stepping closer to him.

"My father may go to great lengths to protect his kingdom, but he cares for Morgana; she's been with us since she was a child. He won't let anything happens to her."

"Will the citizens of Camelot approve of their king's hypocrisy?"

The blond man sighed and scratched his head. "Few are those who are aware of what we are currently discussing. My father is willing to rethink the laws against magic."

There was one question that kept nagging at him, and Merlin couldn't help but ask it. "What if she refuses?"

A look of fear washed over Arthur's face as if he was troubled that such a thing might be. "I'm here to persuade her, not force her. If her decision is to remain here, then I have no choice but to oblige."

Merlin looked at his father, expecting to see a clear answer written across his features, but all he saw was doubt and uncertainty.

Before he could manage to wonder about that, Balinor stood up, and he beckoned his son closer, the two of them beginning to converse in hushed tones.

"What do you think, son?"

Merlin's eyes darted towards Arthur for a moment. "I'm clueless. Can we deny him the opportunity to see her?" He hoped that his father would agree, because a part of him feared that there was a chance where Morgana would no longer be where he could see her every day. Even if matters had been terrible between them, he wished that she'd disagree.

The old man breathed out a sigh. "The fact that the prince is here only indicates how serious they are. If we prevent them from doing so, it could quite possibly lead to something grave."

"A war?" he whispered, his eyes widening.

"Perhaps," Balinor guessed, and Merlin huffed.

"So he is here to threaten us…" the prince reasoned through gritted teeth.

"Or warn us."

The king moved backward, instructing him that their talk had ended. He glanced at Arthur and spoke in a strong tone for him to hear. "Bring her, and no matter she chooses, you will respect her decision. Is that clear?"

Arthur rushed to nod. "Of course."

Next, Balinor addressed his son. "I trust that you can take care of the rest?"

"Yes."

"Good," the older man replied, before he whirled around and left, leaving the two princes alone.

Merlin went to the door. "Stay here and I'll go get her."

"How would you know how she looked like?" Arthur asked, brow furrowed.

A tight smile played on Merlin's lips. "I'll manage."

Since he was supposed to keep the whole thing quiet, Merlin took it upon himself to seek her out. It didn't take him too long to find her.

To say that she was utterly shocked when he approached her would be an understatement. Ever since that day in the alcove, there hadn't been a word exchanged between the two of them.

Yes, they had passed by each other more than once, and they had been content to offer a small smile and nod. But that was it.

When he stopped before her, her surprised expression dissolved into one of happiness, as if she was glad that he was there.

Merlin chose to think that it was his mind trying to lessen the ache that had been present for so long.

"Hi," Morgana greeted, her hands clasped together.

His stomach flip-flopped at the sound of her voice. He had missed it greatly. "Hi." Merlin chewed on his bottom lip. "Follow me?"

She quirked an eyebrow up. "Where?"

"You'll see," he replied simply, and began to head towards the throne room where Arthur was anxiously waiting.

She trailed silently after him. It was clear that she had a lot of questions in her mind but she said nothing, and Merlin didn't push her to do so.

Once they got near, the prince noticed the worried look on her face. "Merlin—"

"It's not what you think; just go inside, and everything will be clear."

She nodded but didn't look any less confused, so he pushed the double doors open to reveal Arthur.

He heard her gasp and walk past him. She didn't step further into the room before she spun around to face him. Her eyes were comically wide, her mouth ajar. A questioning look was sent his way, as if she was wordlessly wondering if what she was seeing was actually true.

"Morgana!" Arthur called out and soon he was speeding in her direction.

Merlin watched from afar as the other man took Morgana in his arms, burying his head in the crook of her neck. His arms wrapped around her waist, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

Merlin felt his heart was being squashed by the same hands holding Morgana. He couldn't breathe; he couldn't even look any more.

The sight was worse than hearing Morgana say that she hadn't felt the same towards him, because now he knew why her heart hadn't had a place for him; it was already full.

So he left, trusting that Arthur would explain everything to Morgana. The warlock gave them the solitude they needed; a solitude he was sure, for them, was a must. After all, they hadn't seen one another for a long time.

However, Merlin didn't go far from the room. He let his back meet the wall, sliding down with a heavy heart and a lump in his throat.

Merlin waited and prayed. He prayed that she'd say no; that she'd choose to stay.

Suddenly the doors were yanked open, and Morgana bursted out, her eyes red. But she wasn't crying. Nevertheless, he felt his blood boil.

In a second, he was standing between her and Arthur. "What happened?"

She didn't reply. Morgana grabbed his hand, urging him to ignore Arthur and focus on her. "Do you want me to leave?"

"What?" That came from both Merlin and Arthur.

The statement was taking them completely by surprise.

Arthur walked to them, eyes narrowed. "You know him?"

"Not now," Morgana instructed, and she looked at the stunned warlock. "Answer me."

"I - uh... I…" Merlin tried, but no words successfully came out. He knew of some things he needed to say.

He couldn't risk the lives of his people for her life.

Even if she was more important to him, his father depended on him to solve this.

"Merlin," she whispered.

His heart was throbbing hard against inside his chest. "No, I would like you to stay. But if you do want to leave…"

Morgana sighed, nodding in understanding, her other hand reaching up to hold his. He glimpsed at them, releasing a shaky breath. "I missed talking to you."

Merlin was torn between laughing at the irony of her timing, or crying in joy that the feeling was mutual.

So, while his lips formed a big smile, his eyes burned with unshed tears.

Merlin couldn't sleep that night. He simply couldn't, not when the thoughts of not seeing Morgana again in the square, chatting with a warm smile on her face, or thinking that whenever he ate a dumpling, he'd hope that she had made them with extra care, just because she knew how much he loved them, were resident in the front of his mind.

She had made her choice; Morgana would leave first thing in the morning with Arthur.

Merlin tossed and turned in his bed, throwing off his covers. He sat on the edge and buried his head in his hands.

He regretted avoiding her. For months, he had tried to keep his distance, and now he was on the verge of losing her.

Merlin grunted.

Soon, he heard a knock. His head shut up and slowly he got up and went to the door.

Morgana was standing on the other side. "Morgana."

"Merlin."

He stepped aside to let her in.

"What are you doing here?"

She fidgeted, staring at her hands. "To talk. We will not be having another chance."

"Morgana," he whined. "Don't–"

She rolled her eyes and stepped beside him. "You're my friend, Merlin. I think I deserve a chance to bid you farewell. I understand how hard this is for you, but you have to give me a chance. This is hard on me as well."

He doubt that last part, but still, he was being too harsh on her. "Alright."

"Alright," she echoed with a smile. "First, you have to promise me that you'll come to Camelot." At that he nodded with a smile, "Second, can I give you hug?"

Merlin chuckled, his hands twitching when Morgana drew nearer.

She opened her arms, and crooked her head to the side. "So…"


End file.
